Fowler has high hopes for Politesse

Dublin Festival runner-up could return at Thurles.

Lorna Fowler has an eye on the future as she plans the next steps of her talented mare Politesse.

The six-year-old made an eyecatching seasonal debut when second to Gordon Elliot’s Darling Daughter in the Grade Two Coolmore N.H. Sires Mares’ Flat Race at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The trainer is now aiming the mare at a second contest on the level, this time at Thurles on February 20, before beginning to consider the rest of her campaign.

Fowler – who famously rode a winner for the late Sir Henry Cecil during the Cheltenham Festival of 2011 courtesy of Plato in the St Patrick’s Day Derby charity race – said: “She’s entered at Thurles on Thursday in the mares’ bumper, but whether or not she runs is ground dependent. If there are any extremities I wouldn’t run her, but that’s the plan so far.

“For any horse to come second in a Grade Two on their first run back is great, she was very impressive. What she’s shown us at home is very positive, she’s really exciting but I like to take a measured approach and think about one goal at a time. She should have a bright future, but we’d like her to run well at Thurles and then we’ll go from there.

“She’s definitely a long-term prospect. She’s a big mare so as much as the short term is important, it’s a longer game in terms of big targets. She has her black type now which is huge.”

The Fowler family are doubly invested in the future of the mare as Lorna’s husband Harry, the son of the late trainer John Fowler and a director at Tattersalls Ireland, teamed up with Alex Frost to breed the horse at the couple’s Rahinston Stud in County Meath.

Frost and Fowler jointly own Politesse’s dam, Dalamine, who also notably produced the prolific staying chaser Don Poli.

“My husband bred her in partnership with Alex Frost,” Fowler said of Politesse’s breeding.

“We’ve still got the dam, she’s still going strong, and we have a sister who we will have covered, though we’re not sure by who yet. It’s very exciting for my husband and for Alex Frost to have bred such a nice mare.”

Fowler also provided an update on the promising Lady Heath, who registered an impressive six-length victory in a bumper on her track debut at Down Royal on January 28.

The five-year-old mare defied odds of 66-1 to top a field of 13 and is pencilled in for another bumper run before her future is considered.

“She wouldn’t have been that price if she was with Gordon Elliot, sadly none of us were on!,” Fowler said.

“She’s been very well since the run and I think she’ll run in another bumper next, I’m tentatively thinking early March. She has the most brilliant attitude, she just wants to get on and gallop. If you keep her straight and keep her moving she’s fantastic.

“Her next run will be very important, but she’s a very different mare to Politesse. She’s not a big horse but she’s not overly small, it’s just her attitude that is so impressive.”

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Lady Heath Lorna Fowler Politesse

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